In the same week that Super Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the Philippines, a different kind of storm came upon the southern city of Johor Bahru. It was a most innocuous beginning, a series of wall murals by an internationally-recognised Lithuanian-born street artist known as Ernest Zacharevic or simply Zachas. When… Continue Reading
The Lord God has told us what is right and what he demands: “See that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey your God.”
Micah 6:8 (CEV)
Current Issues
Appeal Court inept judgment based on internet research
15 October 2013 |
The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya on 14/10/2013 over-ruled the earlier decision by Justice Lau Bee Lan in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to allow Christians (Herald) to use the word Allah. The wide ramifications of the Appeal Court decision calls for careful analysis to ascertain whether it is based… Continue Reading
The people is the nation
29 August 2013 |
“A nation is not just some inorganic, impersonal concept or mere political vocabulary. It is from the original Greek, ethnos, commonly translated as ‘peoples’. So, ‘Kerana mu, Malaysia’ (a worthy previous theme for National Day celebration), in fact should be taken to mean ‘because of you, Malaysians’ or ‘for you,… Continue Reading
Healing a divided nation
24 August 2013 |
This piece was written for Berita NECF (July – Sept. 2013) where I gave some thoughts on post-GE 13 and the Church. EARLY this year, Malaysians were outraged by a video which showed a speaker shouting down a university student at a forum with the now infamous phrase “Listen, listen,… Continue Reading
Religion can be relevant only if …
24 August 2013 |
it teaches and makes us value and respect all human beings regardless of race, creed and class it teaches us not to ridicule the beliefs and practices of others but instead to learn why others believe, practice and conduct their religious life the way they do so as to understand… Continue Reading
The great pretenders
08 August 2013 |
I would have thought that if you yourself had something to hide, you should be better served by saying less about other people. Like many today in Malaysia, I support and campaign for free speech and a much freer press. So in no way am I challenging the right of… Continue Reading
Press Statements
Press Statement by Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur
21 October 2013 |
PRESS STATEMENT The recent judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal against the Herald newspaper has raised serious concerns to many Malaysians, especially the Christian community. As President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, I hereby state that that the three Judges were grossly misinformed when concluding that the… Continue Reading
Courts continue to ignore rights of Christian minority
15 October 2013 |
CFM MEDIA STATEMENT 14 October 2013 The Christian community in Malaysia is gravely dismayed and very disappointed by the decision of the Court of Appeal to uphold the power of the Minister to ban the use of the word Allah in the Herald publication. In a wide-ranging decision, all Christian… Continue Reading
STOP BASELESS ACCUSATIONS AND CALLS FOR “ACTION” OVER THE USE OF THE WORD “ALLAH”
10 September 2013 |
9 September 2013 CFM MEDIA STATEMENT As the hearing date of 10 September 2013 for the appeal by the Government of Malaysia against the decision of the High Court of Malaya to allow The Herald newspaper to use the word “Allah” fast approaches, the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) notes… Continue Reading
A nation for all
29 August 2013 |
CFM MEDIA STATEMENT MERDEKA DAY AND MALAYSIA DAY 2013 26th August 2013 A NATION FOR ALL This year Malaysians celebrate the 56th anniversary of Merdeka for Malaya and the 50th anniversary since the formation of Malaysia in 1963. We give thanks to Almighty God for the wisdom and strength He… Continue Reading
From Around the Net
The Blogosphere
As “Allah” appeal nears, Borneo churches say ban violates Malaysia Agreement
11 October 2013 |
Ahead of the Monday ruling by the Court of Appeal on whether the Christian Church can use the Arabic word, the East Malaysian churches stressed that it was “completely unacceptable” to bar such usage that has been their common practice for centuries. “This is abhorrent, wholly unacceptable and a flagrant… Continue Reading
Remembering deaths in custody
15 July 2013 |
ON May 21, 2013, M. Dharmendran died while under police custody. In addition to multiple bruises all over his body, they found staples on his ear and his ankle. Yes, staples [ [ [ [ [ [ Then there was C Sugumar, who had tumeric powder smeared on his face,… Continue Reading
A rakyat’s peace: Reclaiming a lost language
22 May 2013 |
By Low Iishan “People are deeply imbedded in philosophical, i.e., grammatical confusions. And to free them presupposes pulling them out of the immensely manifold connections they are caught up in.” ~ Ludwig Wittgenstein “But if thought corrupts language, language also corrupts thought.” ~ George Orwell Perhaps one of the most… Continue Reading
What a constitutional farce
18 May 2013 |
What a constitutional farce – Paul Low and Abdul Wahid Omar not legally Ministers and Waytha, Loga and Ahmad Bashah not legally Deputy Ministers as they have not been sworn in as Senators It is neither a good omen nor a good start for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s post-13GE Cabinet.… Continue Reading
What future we are going to bequeath to our children and grandchildren
29 April 2013 |
By Ariffin Omar We are now at the crossroads of our destiny. The 13th general election, slated to be held on May 5, will decide once and for all what future we are going to bequeath to our children and grandchildren. We have lived for more than half a century… Continue Reading
Human Interest
Save Bukit Kiara forest!
10 September 2013 |
by Lim Chui Choo The forest lies abused and embattled Trampled upon by bulldozers and man Its famed trails fragmented Its flora and fauna torn asunder Its pristine river streams polluted The ugly 3.6-metre-high metal fencing a grim reminder of abuses and greed of disrespect for the people’s interests of… Continue Reading
A man for all races: A great teacher departs
07 August 2013 |
By Keruah Usit As we Malaysians struggle through a cynical time of religious fear-mongering in schools and in our wider society, we would do well to reflect on the life of a tenaciously open-hearted teacher, Brother Albinus, born Michael O’Flaherty. Brother Albinus passed away peacefully at the age of 83… Continue Reading
For the love of God, he speaks
20 May 2013 |
By RK Anand The 73-year-old cleric is passionate about his chosen path, and his faith and conviction motivate him to speak out against injustices, which has earned him both bouquets and brickbats JOHOR BAHRU: Step into the office and his four-legged companions are the first to greet you. Among the… Continue Reading
Thumbs up for gentlemen in politics
22 April 2013 |
By Lisa J. Ariffin Political scientist Farish A Noor praises Umno’s Saifuddin Abdullah and PAS’ Dzulkefly Ahmad as ‘genuine politicians’ and not ‘populists’. PETALING JAYA: Umno’s Saifuddin Abdullah and PAS’ Dzulkefly Ahmad have been praised as genuine politicians who uphold the highest standards of behaviour by public representatives. Well-known political… Continue Reading
Viewpoints
Christian Reflection
Change for the better
20 November 2013 |
The country’s longest serving PM is ill. I would have kept quiet if not for the ill-will I have been reading in comments posted in blogosphere. I want to see desirable and necessary CHANGE for the greater good of the country. But such change will not come (but in fact… Continue Reading
Archbishop William Temple: 4 Reasons for intervening in politics
14 November 2013 |
In the 1930’s and 40’s Britain faced many social problems. Unemployment was high; working conditions were poor; housing was both miserable and insufficient; access to education was limited. It was commonly believed that church leaders should not ‘interfere’ in politics, the sphere of activity in which such problems are addressed.… Continue Reading
The other Egypt
01 October 2013 |
I don’t normally reproduce other people’s writings or newsletters. But the short piece below from an Egyptian friend deserves a wide readership, not least because it highlights an important aspect to the troubles in that nation which the so-called “international media” almost totally neglect. It is also a challenge to… Continue Reading
Peter’s Pointers
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 55
13 December 2013 |
31. THE FEAR OF GOD (2) We continue our study on the fear of God. 5. GOD AND THOSE WHO FEAR HIM a) Confides 25:14 The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. b) Goodness 31:19 How great is your goodness, which you… Continue Reading
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 54
03 December 2013 |
31. THE FEAR OF GOD (1) Fear means reverence or awe. 1. THE FEAR OF GOD IS … a) Pure, Enduring Forever 19:9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. b) The Beginning of Wisdom 111:10 The fear… Continue Reading
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 53
26 November 2013 |
30. GOD’S HOLINESS(2) We continue our study on God’s holiness. The following words also reflect God’s holiness. (2) GOD’S UPRIGHTNESS, BLAMELESSNESS, PERFECTION AND PURITY 1. GOD’S UPRIGHTNESS a) God is Upright 25:8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 92:14-15 They will still bear… Continue Reading
GOD IN THE PSALMS: STUDY 52
18 November 2013 |
30. GOD’S HOLINESS(1) To be holy is to be set apart – set apart from sin and impurity and set apart to God. God’s holiness is mentioned at least 46 times in the Psalms and is a very important attribute of God. 1. GOD’S HOLINESS DESCRIBED a) God is Holy… Continue Reading
Intellectual Discourses
Allah: The noun and the name – The root of confusion
28 May 2013 |
Confusion continues to reign over some Malay Muslim scholars, as is evident from their fumbled handling of the semantics of Allah, because there is no definite article in the Malay language. It would be helpful for them to reconsider the significance of definite article in the Arabic and other Semitic… Continue Reading
Galileo’s Trial on Trial: From teleological science to mathematical empirical science
02 January 2013 |
Precis: Secular critics of Christianity typically appeal to the infamous trial of Galilee Galileo in Rome (1616) as indisputable evidence that Christianity is an intolerant and intellectually bankrupt system. The secular critics’ story is one of the inexorable retreat of Christianity into the backwaters of social progress, and of its… Continue Reading
Inconvenient truths
10 December 2012 |
On the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbour, it is worth reflecting again on the question: whose history do we read? Towards the end of the First World War, President Woodrow Wilson presented to the US Congress an ambitious scheme for a new international order based on democratic government,… Continue Reading
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